The present invention relates generally to noninvasive methods of quantitatively determining various physiologic parameters relating to cardiovascular and respiratory function. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for continuous, noninvasive determination of: arterial blood pressure, venous pressure, arterial oxygen saturation, venous oxygen saturation, arterial pulse wave velocity, aortic pulse wave velocity, aortic pulse flow velocity, cardiac stroke volume, cardiac output, heart rate, and respiratory rate.
Critically ill and seriously injured patients require constant care and attention. Doctors, nurses, and hospital technicians need a continuous flow of information about the many patients under their care. Heart rate and blood pressure measurements are two primary vital signs that indicate the health of patients under their care. When these two common indices of wellness fall below normal readings, a patient is usually in distress and requires immediate attention.
Dangerous conditions brought about by a cardio-vascular or pulmonary disease, severe trauma, or drug abuse may bring about a failure of the lungs and heart to supply the bloodstream with life-giving oxygen. Such a fatal deficiency can be detected by continually gauging the amount of hemoglobin in the bloodstream that is carrying oxygen. This third vital sign, which manifests oxygen saturation of the blood, is especially critical because a rapid decline in oxygen in the bloodstream is associated with increased risk of patient mortality.
It is well known that blood pressure can be directly measured by placing a fluid-filled catheter directly into the vessel and coupling this to an electro-mechanical transducer. This is the most accurate means, but has all the disadvantages of invasive measurement, including pain on insertion, risk of infection or disease transmission, risk of bleeding or thrombosis, and great expense. A further disadvantage is the creation of toxic medical waste (needle, gloves, skin dressing, etc).
Blood pressure measurement can also be measured indirectly using an occlusive cuff (with either auscultation or oscillometry to make the determination). This is the most common means of blood pressure measurement. Illustrative are U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,582,179, 5,048,533, 5,152,296 and 4,793,360.
A further occlusive cuff apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,766,130. According to the invention, the apparatus includes multiple xe2x80x9cpressurized pneumatic cuffsxe2x80x9d that are used to xe2x80x9cplot blood pressure and/or volumetric blood flow wave forms from a plurality of separate digits and/or extremities of a patient so that circulatory parameters may be measured rapidly and recorded from a great number of the patient""s digits or limbsxe2x80x9d.
Although commonly employed, the occlusive cuff also has numerous disadvantages, which include discomfort, intermittent readings, and poor reliability.
An additional means of determining blood pressure is through an assessment of xe2x80x9cpulse wave velocityxe2x80x9d. Several prior art references disclose methods and/or apparatus employing such means. Illustrative is U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,543.
There are also several prior art references that disclose methods and/or apparatus for determining blood pressure through a xe2x80x9cpulse wave amplitudexe2x80x9d assessment Illustrative are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,735,213, 4,872,461, 4,793,360, and 5,385,149.
Although most of the noted noninvasive blood pressure methods and apparatus, particularly the occlusive cuff, have been employed for many years by health care personnel, the conventional methods and apparatus have one major, common drawbackxe2x80x94the need for separate calibration.
Accordingly, there is a need for noninvasive methods and devices for determining various physiological characteristics, such as central venous pressure and cardiac output, without separate calibration. There is also a similar need for noninvasive methods and devices for determining various blood parameters including pulse amplitude, pulse delay, pulse velocity, pulse contour, flow velocity and flow delay.
As will be appreciated by one having ordinary skill in the art, the present invention satisfies these and other needs.
The present invention includes a device for the noninvasive monitoring of a physiologic characteristic of a patient""s blood. In one embodiment, the device comprises a tissue probe having a radiation emitter and a radiation detector configured to receive the radiation after absorbance through the patient""s blood; a position sensor for determining the relative height of the probe compared to a level corresponding to the patient""s heart; and a controller for computing the physiologic characteristic of the patient""s blood based on the absorbance of the first wavelength of radiation and the relative height of the probe. The radiation emitters of the invention can utilize a single wavelength or a plurality of discrete wavelengths and may include visible light, infrared light, and ultraviolet light. The probes are adapted for use with hands, fingers, feet, toes, ears, earlobes, nares, lips, tongue and the like. Additional radiation emitters and detectors may also be used. Preferably, the probe further comprises ECG leads.
An alternative embodiment of the device of the invention comprises a tissue probe and controller in conjunction with a movement generator for inducing a position change of the probe with respect to a level corresponding to the patient""s heart. Preferably, the movement generator induces a known position change of the probe and moves the probe to positions above and below a level corresponding to the patient""s heart.
The invention also comprises method for determining a physiological characteristic of a patient""s blood noninvasively. In one embodiment, absorbance characteristics of the blood are measured at varying positions relatively to the level of the patient""s heart. By comparing blood parameters such as pulse amplitude, pulse velocity, pulse delay, pulse contour, flow velocity and flow delay to hydrostatic pressure differences induced by the position changes, characteristics such as arterial and central venous blood pressure and cardiac output can be determined. Alternatively, two probes are used to compute pulse delays between coupled tissues or opposing tissues.
The subject invention relates novel methods for noninvasive determination of physiologic characteristics. The first new and unique method and device utilizes changes in hydrostatic pressure induced by positional changes to facilitate measurements. A second new and unique method and device for noninvasive determination of cardiac output by measuring delays in pulse arrival times in coupled organs or members on opposite sides of the body is also described. The two methods are such that they can advantageously be used together.
By varying the hydrostatic pressure in an extremity, one can not only perform self-calibration for a blood pressure determination, but also change the pulse wave velocity and pulse propagation delay with respect to the opposite extremity. With this information, pulse wave velocity, and consequently flow wave velocity at the aortic root can be determined.
Similar techniques of varying hydrostatic pressure can be used to assess venous pressure and saturation. The technique of repetitious determinations made while altering position or other variables allows a multitude of additional analyses to be made. The determinations can be made intermittently or continuously.
Further objects of the invention are exemplified by the following potential applications:
(a1). A patient is anesthetized for a surgical procedure. Probes are attached to the index fingers of each hand, and a movement generator is placed on one arm. A complete set of vital signs and physiologic characteristics is generated continuously, including: arterial blood pressure, venous pressure, arterial oxygen saturation, venous oxygen saturation, arterial pulse wave velocity, aortic pulse wave velocity, aortic pulse flow velocity, cardiac stroke volume, cardiac output, heart rate, and respiratory rate. Other characteristics can be calculated if desired.
(a2). A patient is anesthetized for a cardiac surgical procedure. As access to the arms is difficult, probes are attached to the patient""s temples. A complete set of vital signs and physiologic characteristics is continuously generated.
(a3). A patient is anesthetized for a cardiac surgical procedure; this time the procedure includes valvular repair or replacement. Since the cardiac output and other characteristics can be continuously computed, the adequacy of the surgical repair can be judged immediately.
(a4). As the number of endoscopic or minimally invasive cardiac surgical procedures is expected to increase, the demand for less invasive monitoring will also increase. The device described herein provides noninvasive, continuous monitoring of essentially all cardiovascular characteristics.
(a5). Cardiac catheterization procedures are often done on critically ill patients. As the procedures are usually relatively brief and accomplished without general anesthesia, invasive monitoring methods are often not desired despite the illness of the patients. The device described herein will provide the necessary monitoring that is typically provided by much more invasive, expensive, and time consuming monitors
(a6). A patient is hospitalized in the intensive care unit of a hospital after a heart attack. Probes are attached to the index fingers of each hand, and a movement generator is placed on an arm or a leg. A complete set of vital signs and physiologic characteristics can be continuously generated. In addition, arrhythmias can be detected and diagnosed.
(a7). The patient noted above is now moved to a xe2x80x9cstep-downxe2x80x9d or telemetry unit from the intensive care unit. Because the device described herein eliminates the need for invasive monitoring lines, a complete set of vital signs and physiologic characteristics can still be continuously generated. As the patient has mobility of arms and legs, a movement generator is no longer needed, as the patient""s spontaneous motion, even during sleep, will generate hydrostatic pressures in the limbs, allowing all computations to be made. In addition, the probes may be made wireless, and connected to a central nursing station by means of infrared or radio frequency communication.
(a8). The patient noted in applications 6 and 7 above is now moved to a regular hospital bed, and does not require continuous monitoring. However, vital signs can still be recorded by a technician moving the device from bedside to bedside on a cart. The device does not require highly trained nursing personnel to operate.
(a9). The patient noted in applications 6, 7, and 8 above has now been discharged from the hospital, and now presents to his physician""s office for follow-up. The same device can be used in physician""s offices, as it provides better care at lower cost.
(a10). Ambulances, emergency vehicles, and military vehicles can also employ this device as it is very simple to operate, and provides data that currently is impossible for them to obtain. In addition, the information can be transmitted to central stations where medical personnel are available for help and advice.
(a11). The device and methods of the invention will provide means of monitoring patients or checking vital signs for extended care facilities, nursing homes, and other health-related facilities
(a12). Blood pressure screening clinics and drugstores will have a greatly improved means of determining patient""s blood pressures and other vital signs. Airports and airplanes are able to purchase medical equipment, but often do not have personnel trained to operate the equipment. The device is simple and quick to operate.
(a13). The patient noted in applications 6 through 9 above can also monitor his heart disease and health care at home. The operation of the device is straightforward enough to be used by the layman with minimal instruction, and inexpensive enough for personal home use. The patient can measure his cardiovascular characteristics daily, or as frequently as he and his physician desire. A communication means, such as a modem, can easily be incorporated into the device. This, with appropriate software and support, would allow essentially instantaneous communication with a physician""s office, clinic, or hospital. In addition, a permanent record can be made and stored electronically. If desired, the device could automatically xe2x80x9csign onxe2x80x9d to the Internet or other network, and link to the appropriate website or other address. The ability to participate more fully in their own health care will improve the welfare of individuals.
(a14). The patient of above presents to the emergency room of a hospital with chest pain. The ER physician can access, via the Internet or other means, the patient""s vital sign history, including ECG. This allows the physician to determine if abnormalities are new or chronic. Changes, such as dysrhythmias, can be identified as to when they first occurred, perhaps to within a time frame of hours or less.
(a15). People without diagnosed cardiovascular disease can use the device to allow themselves to participate in their own health care. This will allow virtually immediate diagnosis of any problems, allowing early intervention. In addition, a permanent record can be created if desired.
(a16). The device will impact fitness and physical training for everyone from lay people to military personnel to professional athletes.
(a17). The device can be employed in the diagnosis and management of peripheral vascular disease. Measurement of pulse wave velocity in the extremities, and particular differential pulse wave velocities in the lower extremities, can be used to diagnose peripheral vascular disease. Since measurements are real time and continuous, they can also be used in management. For example, if balloon angioplasty of an artery is performed, the clinician can tell immediately if flow has improved. In the case of angioplasty of coronary arteries, the clinician can follow cardiac characteristics on a beat-by-beat basis.
(a18). In addition to peripheral vascular disease, other diseases, such as abdominal aortic aneurysm, can be diagnosed and managed. Changes in pulse wave velocity and waveform can be followed for years if desired.
(a19). Some of the most important potential uses of the device relate to the health care of neonates and young children. For these patients, the measurement of common characteristics such as blood pressure can be difficult even for highly trained personnel in well-equipped facilities. The simple placement of probes on fingers will alleviate this. The device will also allow noninvasive diagnosis of congenital cardiac defects and anomalies. Analysis of differential pulse wave velocity and blood pressure will allow rapid, accurate, and specific diagnosis of many disorders, including Tetralogy of Fallot and transposition of the great vessels. The ability to distinguish both arterial and venous saturations and pressures will allow diagnosis of patent ductus arteriosus, truncus arteriosus, atrial septal defect, and ventricular septal defect. Differential arm and leg pulse wave velocities and pressures will confirm diagnosis of coarctation of the aorta. Because of its continuous measurements, the device can be used for only for diagnosis but confirmation of adequacy of repair, including intraoperatively. As the device is inexpensive and easy to operate, it may become a screening tool for newborns and infants.
(a20). The device can be used in conjunction with intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) counterpulsation. Beat-by-beat analysis of effectiveness and ability to wean from counterpulsation can be made.
(a21). The device can be used in conjunction with placement of cardiac pacemakers, to set proper rate and timing intervals. In addition, efficacy of pacemakers can be checked as frequently as desired, and scheduling of reprogramming or replacement made automatically.
(a22). It is straightforward to incorporate other devices, such as the electroencephalogram (EEG) or electromyogram (EMG), into probes of the invention. As a general-purpose monitor, the device will invite the addition of specialized add-ons.
(a23). Many enhancements are included in the invention. For example, addition of chest (horizontal) leads allows full diagnostic ECGs to be performed.
(a24). Under some circumstances, such as severe hypotension, the pulse cannot be identified in the periphery. In such cases, many of the determinations claimed herein cannot be made. However, the ability of the device to identify venous blood can still give important information.
(a25). Forces other than gravity can be used. In a microgravity environment such as a space station orbiting the Earth, a device such as the one described could be constructed to perform all indicated determinations using acceleration caused by movement in place of gravitational acceleration.
(a26). As mentioned in the examples above, an anticipated use is in the field of home health care, with the possibility of automatic sign-on and direction to a website. As the user is already participating in his or her health care, the extension of providing access to related health or other information via the Internet(copyright) is a natural one.
(a27). A verification means, such as fingerprint scanning, can be incorporated into a personal-use device, to ensure that any medical information gathered belonged to the individual using the device.
(a28). The device will be used in conjunction with the Penaz technique or other methods, such as calibration with a cuff or other means, as desired.